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13 Nov 2024

Home, Kyrgyzstan Justice, Justice, Kyrgyzstan

Former Top Prosecutor in Kyrgyzstan is Detained

November 13, 2024
By Times of Central Asia

Kyrgyzstan´s former deputy prosecutor general has been arrested and will be held in pretrial detention until Jan. 10, media reported on Tuesday.

Kuban Adyl uulu, who was dismissed from his job in April, faces charges including alleged involvement in organized crime and efforts to incite unrest and seize power by violent means, Kaktus.media reported without elaborating.

Similar charges have been brought in other cases in Kyrgyzstan, including against media workers, in what critics describe as a heavyhanded way to maintain control and stamp out dissent. The government often warns citizens against spreading disinformation that could destabilize society.

Kaktus.media attributed information about Adyl uulu´s arrest to unidentified sources in law enforcement and a district court in Bishkek. Other media outlets in Kyrgyzstan issued similar reports. Vesti.kg reported that several other people were also detained.

Adyl uulu was fired as part of a reshuffle of the leadership, including anti-corruption officers, in the prosecutor general’s office that was ordered by President Sadyr Japarov. In the days prior to the dismissal, the president had reprimanded the prosecutor general and the natural resources minister over the alleged interference of subordinates in the activities of the ministry’s licensing commission.

Japarov has said that fighting corruption is a priority, though watchdog groups say graft remains entrenched in Kyrgyzstan.

12 Nov 2024

Kazakhstan Secures Agreement for 11 Billion Cubic Meters of Water from Neighboring Countries by April 2025

November 13, 2024
By Sergey Kwan

Kazakhstan will receive approximately 11 billion cubic meters of irrigation water from the Syr Darya River by April 2025, following an agreement made by Nurzhan Nurzhigitov, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, with representatives from neighboring Central Asian countries. The accord was reached at the 87th meeting of the Interstate Coordination Water Management Commission held last week in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, and attended by water ministry leaders from Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, with Kyrgyzstan as an observer.

This substantial water supply is expected to fill the Shardara reservoir in southern Kazakhstan by April 1, 2025, providing enough water for the region’s 2025 irrigation season. Given Kazakhstan’s reliance on irrigation for agriculture, particularly in the arid south, the flow from upstream countries like Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan is vital.

Nurzhigitov noted, “This year, thanks to negotiations and joint actions, we ensured the effective water distribution in the Syrdarya River basin. Agreements on water and energy cooperation with Kyrgyzstan were implemented, and measures were taken to coordinate the operating mode of the Bakhri-Tojik reservoir [in Tajikistan] during this year’s irrigation season.”

12 Nov 2024

Cultural Heritage, Central Asia, Turkmenistan Life & Culture, Turkmenistan, Turkmenistan International Affairs, International Affairs, Local Politics

Turkmenistan Pays Tribute to the Founder of Modern Turkey in Ashgabat Ceremony

November 12, 2024
By Times of Central Asia

On November 10, Ashgabatex, Turkmenistan’s capital, hosted a memorial event to honor Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder and first president of the Republic of Turkey. Held at the park named in his memory, the ceremony was attended by Turkish Ambassador to Ashgabat, Togan Oral; Deputy Head of the Ashgabat Municipality, Bayrammurat Gurbanov; teachers and students from the Turkmen-Turkish School; Turkish citizens residing in Turkmenistan; and members of the media.

The Turkish diplomatic mission organized the event, beginning with a moment of silence and followed by the playing of the national anthems of Turkmenistan and Turkey. A wreath-laying ceremony at the Atatürk Monument provided an opportunity for diplomats and distinguished guests to pay tribute to Atatürk’s profound impact on modernizing Turkey.

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s leadership led to the establishment of the Republic of Turkey in 1923. His sweeping reforms transformed key sectors of Turkish society, including education and the economy. November 10 marks the anniversary of his passing in 1938.

12 Nov 2024

Central Asia, Justice, Uzbekistan, International Affairs, Local Politics, Uzbekistan Justice, Uzbekistan International Affairs, Uzbekistan Local Politics

Chechen Leader Kadyrov Denies Involvement in Attack on Allamjonov

November 12, 2024
By Sadokat Jalolova

On October 26 Uzbek media reported an attack on the former head of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s information department, Komil Allamjonov. At around 1:40a.m., near his home in Tashkent’s Kibray district, two unidentified individuals fired several shots at the car he was in before fleeing. Fortunately, no one was injured.

The weapon type remains unknown. Authorities have opened an attempted murder case and are searching for the suspects. However, the General Prosecutor’s Office has not confirmed whether Allamjonov was specifically targeted in the incident.

Some opposition media have suggested a “Chechen connection” implicating Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov in the attack on Allamjonov. In response, Kadyrov denied involvement, stating that the media attributed the incident to him.

“I don’t want to respond to this provocative leak. Moreover, work in all spheres, including information and law enforcement, is excellently organized in Uzbekistan thanks to the wise policy of the respected President Shavkat Miromonovich Mirziyoyev. I will only add that if I had really planned something, I would have completed it and with a 100% result,” he stated.

Kadyrov emphasized the close ties between Chechens and Uzbeks, describing them as “brotherly peoples with a common historical past.”
He added: “I regard this information leak as a tool of political play by some third parties and a clear attempt to sow discord between our countries. I am sure that other publications in the style of Western fakes will follow. Be that as it may, my dear brothers in Uzbekistan and I will definitely find out who is behind this provocative information leak.”

The General Prosecutor’s Office stated that the investigation is ongoing, and promised further updates.

12 Nov 2024

Central Asia, Uzbekistan, Life & Culture, Local Politics, Uzbekistan Life & Culture, Uzbekistan Local Politics

Uzbek Teacher Receives 1 Billion UZS for Students’ Olympiad Victories

November 12, 2024
By Vagit Ismailov

Tashkent chemistry teacher Mokhira Boltayeva has earned approximately UZS 1 billion ($78,000) in bonuses over the past three years for her students’ successes in various Olympiads. Boltayeva, who is only 23, teaches at the Abu Ali ibn Sino Specialized School and has garnered significant recognition for her effective preparation methods, which she shares with talented students. Her first major award was a silver medal at the 2019 International Chemistry Olympiad.

This year marked a new milestone for Boltayeva, with three students winning medals at the International Chemistry Olympiad and five more excelling in regional contests. At a recent awards ceremony, she received her largest prize to date: 378 million UZS ($29,000). Her total earnings were 350 million UZS in 2023 and 250 million UZS in 2022.

In 2024, Uzbek students achieved a record-breaking 122 medals at international and regional Olympiads, a historic achievement celebrated by the authorities, who allocated UZS 9 billion ($700,000) to support students and teachers.

In Uzbekistan, Olympiad winners now receive significant cash awards. Gold medalists are awarded 187.5 million UZS ($14,500), while their teachers receive 168.75 million UZS ($13,000). Silver and bronze medalists, along with their teachers, also receive financial rewards, alongside perks such as university admissions with state grants, a 200% salary increase, and an elevated professional qualification.

12 Nov 2024

Central Asia, International Affairs, Local Politics, Business & Economy, Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan International Affairs, Kazakhstan Business & Economy

Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and China Establish Joint Cargo Terminal in Baku

November 12, 2024
By Sergey Kwan

Azerbaijan, China, and Kazakhstan have signed an agreement to establish an intermodal cargo terminal in the Port of Alat in Baku, the Azerbaijani capital. The agreement was signed in Baku on November 12 by SK-AIH Investment Fund Ltd (Samruk-Kazyna, Azerbaijan Investment Holding), Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (Kazakhstan’s national railway company), Baku International Sea Trade Port (Azerbaijan), and Xi’an Free Trade Port Construction and Operation Co., Ltd (China).

The project was made possible through Azerbaijan’s provision of a land plot, operational berths, and terminal facilities at the Port of Alat. This new terminal is expected to increase container train traffic between China and Europe along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), also known as the Middle Corridor, reducing delivery times, transportation costs, and transshipment time.

The terminal will feature a universal cargo yard, a covered warehouse complex spanning 5,000 square meters, and a container yard with a capacity of over 1,000 containers.

Kazakhstan and China plan to increase the volume of cargo transported along the TITR to 600 container trains per year by 2025–2026, with targets of 1,000 container trains in 2027 and 2,000 by 2029, according to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Transport.

In 2023, transit volumes between China and Europe through Kazakhstan reached 2.76 million tons—a 65% increase from 1.7 million tons in 2022.

The TITR connects China and Europe via Central Asia and the Caucasus, bypassing Russia, offering a strategic link between the two regions.